Please share this article to anyone about to sell, adopt, or give away a horse: Do not buy or sell horses for the following list of people in the United States and Canada – article with a large list of people that buy horses to sell for slaughter/meat (kill buyers).

My tweet (please re-tweet): Do not buy, sell, or adopt #horses to any of these people in the United States & Canada http://ow.ly/oaKgL they are kill buyers PlsRT

When the Retired Racehorse Training Project announced that 26 Thoroughbred ex-racehorses would appear at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland to demonstrate their talent for second careers, nobody envisioned a western invasion of Maryland hunt country.

The majority of the demonstrations at the October 5 and 6 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium will feature the traditional English sports that Thoroughbreds have excelled in for centuries, but today RRTP announced that the western disciplines will move in on Pimlico in a big way.

“When one of our trainers, Dale Simanton, requested some cattle for his demonstration at Pimlico, we all thought he was kidding,” said RRTP president Steuart Pittman. “We didn’t think our friends at Maryland Jockey Club would let cattle anywhere near their racetrack, but we were wrong. So we had a conference call with Dale and his crew and decided he should not bring just one ranch horse, he should bring as many as he could fit in his trailer so we could host a full ranch rodeo demonstration.”

Dale’s South Dakota ranch is home to Gate to Great, a program that retrains Thoroughbreds off the track to do the ranch work typical of western cattle operations. The ranch is also home to what may be the only all-Thoroughbred ranch rodeo team in the nation, a team that will now be making an appearance at the RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. In addition to his Makeover horse, Drake’s Dancer (aka Duck), Dale will bring four off-track Thoroughbred geldings that are fully trained in ranch work and rodeo competition to wow the crowds at Pimlico.

Dale won’t be alone in bringing a Makeover horse that knows how to work cattle. To top off the western flavor of the weekend, Saturday will also feature an off-track Thoroughbred barrel competition that includes Thoroughbred Makeover contestant Nikki and Symphonic Cat. Like Dale, Nikki also hails from the west, she is a native of Paso Robles, California. And while she is training Symphonic Cat for barrel racing and gymkhana, she has also done a cattle drive and a team penning competition with him. “It’s what we do with our horses out here,” said the twenty-two year old Nikki, “and Thoroughbreds off the track are my horse of choice.”

The barrel race will also feature the winner and four runners-up from this summer’s Extreme Retired Racehorse Makeover Barrel Race held in Ohio. “These girls have more fun with their Thoroughbreds than should be legal,” said Jackie Harris, the founder of the Dreaming of Three Foundation and barrel racing promoter who organized the event. “We plan to light up the race track and show the East Coast what their Thoroughbreds can do.”

The western invasion will take place on Saturday afternoon and evening during the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Pimlico Racecourse. More information and tickets are available online at www.retiredracehorsetraining.org

The RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium will be held October 5 and 6 at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland. The event will feature two full days of educational seminars, meetings, demonstrations, and the culmination of the Thoroughbred Makeover. 26 trainers from 15 states in ten equestrian disciplines will demonstrate what their horses have learned in just three months of second career training. Polo, dressage, eventing, barrel racing, cattle work, police work, hunters, jumpers, natural horsemanship, and tricks will be featured both by the Makeover horses and in special demonstrations from top horses in many of these disciplines. The weekend includes a trade fair and an evening celebration with Thoroughbred Storytelling by very special guests.

Once considered a death sentence, Laminitis is often the first sign that leads to a diagnosis of Equine Cushing’s disease or Insulin Resistance. This conference, in Jacksonville, Oregon, will provide new and emerging information to help recognize how laminitis can be prevented and treated. It will provide background, new and emerging information on equine insulin resistance and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (Cushing’s Disease), including drug, nutritional management and hoof physiology and function.
Full lecture schedule at http://www.nolaminitis.org/program.

The Early Bird deadline has come and gone, but there is still time to purchase tickets.
If you are thinking about joining us, don’t miss the September 18th ticket-purchase deadline .http://www.nolaminitis.org/

We are significantly ahead of the 2011 Conference early bird registrations.
Thank you. It is so helpful to know you are attending!

Research-backed nutrition programs help develop horses for current and future Clydesdale hitches

ST. LOUIS, June XX, 2013 – As the iconic eight-horse Budweiser Clydesdale hitches continue their uninterrupted tours across America, there is a company behind the scenes helping the horses stay healthy and nutritionally sound – Purina Animal Nutrition. The company partners with Anheuser-Busch to provide nutritional support for the Budweiser Clydesdale horses at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, Mo. and assistance on the road as the famous horses stop at local events throughout the country. This partnership allows each Budweiser Clydesdale to showcase the quality and care it takes to be part of the legendary eight-horse hitch.

Anheuser-Busch breeds the Clydesdales with the goal of eventually selecting them for the company’s famous traveling hitches. At Grant’s Farm, a 45-plus acre Clydesdale training farm, Purina runs feeding programs designed to promote healthy growth and development, to give young Clydesdales the best chance to one day be selected for the hitch. To qualify for a hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature and weigh at least 2,000 pounds. The program plays a key role in helping young horses achieve their potential while maintaining a steady, healthy growth curve.

As a partner in nutritional care, Purina supports proper Clydesdale development by helping to weigh and measure the horses on a regular basis, tracking growth, and scoring each horse’s body condition. The company also utilizes its national network to provide expertise and support staff for Anheuser-Busch’s three Budweiser Clydesdale teams that travel throughout the year.

“It’s important that we partner with a company that not only shares our commitment to hard work and perfection, but one that provides research-backed recommendations and expertise to help us provide world-class care for the Clydesdales,” said Jeff Knapper, general manager of Clydesdales operations, Anheuser-Busch. “As a leader in the nutrition industry, Purina epitomizes the type of partner we look for, and its support allows us to maintain the quality and tradition the Clydesdales have come to represent.”

With a team of dedicated Ph.Ds., Purina brings decades of equine research and many nutritional breakthroughs to the partnership to help support the breeding and growing of the Clydesdales. The horses require frequent travel, high performance and peak physical appearance, with nutritional demands that far exceed those required for an average horse. This makes a proper nutritional program invaluable.

“There is so much about what goes into the overall care of the Budweiser Clydesdales that mirrors our own philosophies,” said Dr. Katie Young, equine nutritionist, Purina Animal Nutrition. “Purina stands for high-quality equine nutrition and health, and being able to apply that expertise to these iconic horses ingrained in the American fabric is a special opportunity that we’re excited to support.”

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers throughout the United States. With an uncompromising commitment to animal excellence, Purina Animal Nutrition conducts industry-leading R&D initiatives that create and sustain a valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Species served by Purina Animal Nutrition include both large and small animals, including cattle, horses, swine, chickens, hamsters, gerbils and rabbits. Headquartered in Shoreview, Minn., Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

A new exciting movie about coming of age that is perfect for horse lovers – OUR WILD HEARTS, which stars Ricky Schroder and his family Andrea, Cambrie, Holden and Luke. Please take a look at the trailer below and let me know your thoughts. We’d love for you to post about the DVD release which is now available on VOD and exclusively available at Walmart.

DETAILS:

OUR WILD HEARTS is NOW available VOD and DVD.

The film stars Ricky Schroder and his family – Andrea, Cambrie, Holden and Luke.

Willow (Cambrie Schroder), a determined young teenager, is obsessed with the idea of meeting the father she never knew. She leaves her cushy life in Malibu to travel to the Sierra Nevada mountains, where she pays a surprise visit to Jack (Ricky Schroder), a rugged cowboy who has no idea he’s a father. As the two struggle to bond, Willow makes a connection with a wild mustang, Bravo. Jack wants to capture and tame the magnificent horse but Willow is convinced he needs to be free. Will the wild stallion that brought them together end up tearing them apart?

The Niche Gallery, located in the historic Collamer Building in downtown Saratoga Spring is proud to announce the opening of “The Foal Project,” a series of beautiful images taken by photographer Lisa Miller. These 40” x 60”signed and numbered limited edition pieces are printed on metal and are absolutely breathtaking!

The “Foal Project,” which will be at The Niche through the end of August, is a not for profit traveling gallery show to raise awareness and funding for Equine Assisted Therapies. The project is sponsored by Towne Ryan & Partners and the Nemer Motor Group. During the local stay part of the show’s proceeds will also help to benefit the Adirondack Trust Company General Community Fund.

There are 12 images in the Foal Project, captured by Lisa Miller. The photos depict the moment of connection between a mare and her foal at birth. This moment of connection symbolizes the human-horse connection and the importance of recognizing these equine assisted therapies and how they are making a difference in the lives of so many.

The Foal Project images have been on display at prestigious galleries all over the country including Cross Gate Gallery in Lexington, KY and the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in Aiken, SC. Proceeds from the sale of these limited edition, signed/numbered prints on metal go to the Foal Project Donor Advised Fund established at the Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund in Saratoga Springs, NY. From there, the funds are used to fill grant requests made by Equine Assisted Therapy Centers that are IRS qualified 501(c) (3) organizations.

The Foal Project has gained national attention with media coverage on ESPN.com, The Bloodhorse, The Paulick Report and many other news sources. For more information on the Foal Project or to request a grant form please contact Lisa Miller at studiodiluce@gmail.com or 315.525.8184.

The Niche Gallery is the home of Greentree Fiber Arts and Art Allies. The Niche features work in various media by local artists. Exhibits rotate frequently and each show benefits a different not for profit organization. Art Allies is a program that curates art galleries in medical practices and other “unlikely venues”, the work is for sale and a portion of each sale benefits the artist and a charity chosen by the host practice. The Niche Gallery is open Tuesday – Friday, 11 -3 and hosts Thursday evening receptions during July and August.

Horses are not just built to run, they can do more than we think. Most people believe that horses have a brain like the size of a walnut. The size gives us the idea that they do not think, are not conditioned-response animals, have no sense of concept. Guess what – equines are sensitive just like us.

Trakehner stallion, born 2000, by Tambour out of Costa Rica by Maizauber (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Horses are known to be independent thinking animals that like to be free to move about and not confined to small places. If you compare horses that are left in open fields to those that are kept in the, they will possess different behaviors. The stall-bound horses behavior manifest in form of pacing around the stall, chewing on the walls, kicking and biting in order to try to cope with stress. However, the horses on the open field will not show that kind of behavior as they are not acting against their will. Proof that horses think.

Horses have different ways of showing that they can make use of their brains, for example, dressage. Dressage means training. It is one of the equestrian sports where the physical, mental and athletic ability of the horses are tested. They are expected to perform at there own will, with minimal instructions from the rider.

According to researches done on horse intelligence, horses learn from :

Habituation: This is where, after repeated exposure to a stimulus, the horse becomes used to it and its reaction disappears. While this may involve human interaction, it equally applies to anything in its paddock, such as wind, snow, or hail. Everything is important for their learning as it allows a horse to filter out non-vital information, enabling it to focus on more important things.

Desensitization: Hypersensitive animals can be desensitized by getting them used to the stimuli in increments. A trainer, for example, will introduce a bridle gradually to a horse, backing off if the horse shows an unfavorable response. If its done properly, a horse will learn to willingly accept gentle bridling. It is through both these forms of learning that a horse can be made familiar with major stress factors, such as gunfire.

Pavlovian conditioning: This is where a horse becomes conditioned to give a particular response. If a trainer consistently uses the word trot with the flick of a whip to get a horse to move into a trot, the horse will eventually respond to the verbal cue without the need for the whip.

Operant conditioning: Horses are effective at this form of learning, and it is a standard part of training techniques. When a horse begins to learn the meaning of a new stimulus, its response is initially random. Through trial and error, it will offer the desired response.

So, if riders takes the time in training their horses to trot, piaffe, passage, flying changes, change gaits, and pirouette, then, they will find out that horses are elegant and can do more than just running. They can be calm, loose, attentive, and flexible. At this stage, a dressage rider will feel safe on the horse. Dressage riders dress formally at shows in white breeches and shirts, tie, black dressage coats, tall horse riding boots, hair in a bun and a show bow.

Point to remember, everything with a brain can think to certain level and can be trained for a purpose.

Guess post by: Ezekiel Osundina

NOTE from Joni Solis (blog owner): If you really want to learn more about how smart your horse is try out clicker training with him or her. Many people discover that their horse learns faster and with a lot less effort when they are trained with positive methods.

The PDF file is a summary of some important equine barefoot events that are substantiated TheHorsesHoof.com, written as neutrally as possible. Most of the events listed in the PDF file took place in North America.

Horses are not born with metal shoes on their hooves! Are you doing what is best for your horse’s hooves? How healthy are your horse’s feet? Learn more about the Barefoot Movement at TheHorsesHoof.com

Health of the Equine Respiratory System – “Create a healthy ARENA”
Guess Article By Teri Clark

Veterinarian medicine studies *agree prevention and maintenance is the key to dealing with respiratory problems in our horses.

The respiratory system of horses

Let’s begin with the respiratory system itself. Air enters the nostrils — quickly moisture and heat are added before it journeys to the trachea. Here turbinates’ trap larger particles as the first line-of-defense. Leaving the trachea, air moves through numerous larger airways called the Bronchi then onto the smaller bronchioles. Here fine hair like cilia and mucus cells line the air passages acting as the second particle collection agent. A light thin layer of mucus is considered healthy.

Intake ends at the alveolar sacs. Gas Exchange happens across this membrane, oxygen heads to the red blood cells (Oxygen is essential to organs and tissues) while carbon dioxide is expelled. Carbon Dioxide is a by-product of energy production. The last soldier of defense is the alveoli; here cells called macrophages clean up the remaining inhaled irritants and contaminates.

Overwhelming the lung’s defense system can decrease its ability to ward off respiratory infections, environmental or bacterial pollutants. Environmental contaminates include ammonia, DUST and mold. Bacterial include infectious agents and viruses. Wetness and humidity breed bacterial and fungus growth. Ammonia is a high level irritant.

Respiratory Damage

All horses are at risk unless care is taken. Horses are at risk of ammonia contamination during trailer journeys, in rental stalls or pens previously used by other animals at events, state and regional fairgrounds. Low dwellers, such as foaling mares, their foals, ponies and miniature houses are at greater risk. The dirt, sand or concrete in the stall/pens hold contaminates like bacteria, dust, mold and ammonia.

Demands on the respiratory system depend on whether the horse is at rest or in heavy performance. Performance horses demand large volumes of air. A typical horse (at rest) intakes five liters of air with one breath. During competition or exercise an equine athlete will increase that amount to 15 liters per breath at 150 breaths per minute. In other words, horse’s move in a MINUTE’S TIME SOME 2250 PLUS LITERS OF AIR EFFICIENTLY TO COMPETE and WIN.

A horse’s lungs act like locomotion…” In running, the kinetic and potential energy fluctuate in-phase, and the energy change is passed on to muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments acting as springs” — Wikipedia.

When contaminates cause even a slight increase in mucus, or thickening in the air passages, will result in poorer performance eventually leading to EIPH (exercise induces pulmonary hemorrhaging) or COPD, commonly called ‘heaves’. http://cvm.msu.edu/research/research-labs/equine-pulmonary-laboratory/respiratory-diseases/heaves

Horses forced to compete, hunt, jump, exercise or barrel race with mucus or blockage of the air ways can compromise its health greatly. Often traces of blood are found near the nostrils indicating EIPH. The lack of blood does not mean the horse is not experiencing EIPH. Imagine trying to pull air into your lungs thru a narrow straw while running at full speed.

Increasingly, over time the damage will manifest itself and takes its long term toll on the equine’s ability to inhale 2,250 liters of air per minute. Performance becomes poorer and poorer. Respiratory diseases weaken the immune systems furthering the opportunity for large scale infections, long recoveries and higher veterinarian bills or even loss of the animal. Coughing is only one indication among many of the presence of respiratory disease.

Minimizing the horse’s exposure to DUST, mold and ammonia is essential to their healthy respiratory system.

But it’s not only the horses that are at risk. Trainers, instructors, their caretakers, riders young and old increasingly develop Asthma, COPH, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases and infections caused by DUST, MOLD, and ammonia and are two times more likely to develop Chronic Bronchitis.

Dust Control in Horse Arenas

Equine arenas is the biggest culprit of DUST’s contribution to our lungs. Various footing ingredients used in arenas as well as added thru horse manure are the prime source of dust. Clay, caliche, and sand are among the worst dust makers.

Pulverized by hooves sand, manure and (worst yet) used shavings….. they all become dust.
Look at your pants and boots after a ride. What do you think your lungs look like? What toll is dust taking on your horses?

Finding a safe effective aid to DUST control is essential; safe for your horse and you. Watering expansive areas is time consuming, can be costly and mostly ineffective. We’d all rather ride then water.

Most dust control products are expensive and caustic.
Replacing your ‘dirt’ entirely with the new fancy footings is in 5 to 6 figure range.

ARENACLEAR 1 Gallon

Agents such as ARENACLEAR help with water retention. ARENACLEAR was first used as an agricultural mineral to grow organic carrots and artichokes and approved in California since 1971. When the farmers over sprayed the fields or spilled it on the roads we discovered it controlled dust too. When applied ARENACLEAR is safe for you and your horse’s hooves etc.

ARENACLEAR works on all types soils-dirt, clay, sand, hardpan, and caliche etc. When applied to your footing, per the instructions, it will permeate the soil and increase its ability to hold moisture (up to 250%) weighing down the dust particles without being muddy. Easy to apply: use a hose-in-(Quart) sprayer from Home Depot or Lowes for fertilizing your flowers.

Reference used: Kentucky Equine Research Center —“Small Airway Disease & Equine Respiratory Health”. [PDF] Respiratory Health – Kentucky Equine Research
Reference used: Heaves — College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University
Reference: Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage — College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University Todd D. East under the direction of the faculty and staff of the Equine Pulmonary Laboratory.

NOTE from Joni Solis (blog owner): Like any product I post about on my site please do your homework — check out the company and the ingredients, of anything you are thinking about using for or around yourself, your family, and/or your animals. Ask for references and give a few of them a call. Try to go with companies and products that use healthy and natural ingredients and consider the environment — the earth is currently the only home we have! There maybe other products available so take the time to do some research before making a purchase.

Would I purchase this product? So far it seems like something I would consider if I had a horse arena with a dust problem. I like the fact that it is a natural product that was/is used to grow organic food since 1971.

Musty moldy damp horse blankets and equine rugs can be a thing of the past.

Everyone, from famous equine universities to respected horse journals and magazines, have weighed in on the question whether to blanket or not to blanket. Conclusively agreeing blankets are necessary under certain criteria. A dry warm horse has a better chance of staying healthy period. A dry horse blanket can help keep your horse comfortable and healthy.

The weather has been powerful, strong and unpredictable over the last few years. Horses in the wild seek rocky overhangs, dense brush and trees for protection. Farm horses need shelter from the wind, moisture and cold, using blankets, sheds and buildings as protection. Blizzards, snow showers, sleet, freezing rain and rain showers are all very difficult on horses as noted by Marcia Hathaway PhD.

Typically, in winter the horse’s coat thickens and the pilo erector muscles make the coat’s hair form tents absorbing heat from the sun and trapping it providing an insulation barrier from the cold. When Nature adds wind the situation gets dicey; (“When to Blanket your Horse- Horse and Rider Oct 2000 by Melissa Hower-Moritz PhD) separating the hairs and breaking the seal, which greatly reduces body heat. Adding moisture of any kind to this scenario produces wet hair that dissipates the heat swiftly away from the horse. Plastered wet hair close to the skin nullifies any insulation. A body cut horse needs heavier blankets more readily and shelter in inclement weather.

Horse blankets are not cheap. Decisions need to be made about how many, what kind and what type. Most horses rotate 3 depending on the weather, a light blanket, a sheet for daytime and a heavier blanket with waterproofing, for turn out in the colder/wet months.

Horse Blanket Care

A wet damp blanket will get a horse cold very quickly. If he/she rolls in the mud with the blanket, what will they wear while you wash and dry them? Also, now you have to pay good money to have them laundered ($20) or you could clean them yourself, with your home washer/dryer. This now becomes a costly endeavor of time, money and equipment repairs (?) to your home washer and dryer. Hanging horse blankets over your kitchen chairs, family room couch or over fence and stall rails takes days to get them completely dry and isn’t convenient. Time finding someone who does horse blankets on the internet, arrange to have them picked up and bought back takes days. What will your horses wear in the meantime?

Most Laundromats won’t let you wash horse blankets at their facilities. Commercial dryer temperatures are so HOT they ruin the synthetic threads and fibers, the lining shrinks and burns off the waterproofing and soaps can be harsh on the blankets. That ‘amounts’ to paying for RE-WATERPROOFING ($15), repairs ($15) or worse yet buying a new blanket (75-$200) too often. Centaur Calculator sheet master

Gentle radiant heat completely dries your blankets extending the life of the threads, its lining and the waterproof coating right in your own barn, tack room or garage using standard 110 power. (USA made – 2, 4, and 6 bar units available.)

Warm and comforting to your horses and saves you money. DRY any number of blankets 2, 4 or 6 soaking wet blankets in 3-4 hours or a damp blanket in 2 hours.

Discover your savings using our calculator @ www.horseblanketdriers.us. Or use the attached worksheet. An example with 15 horses, 3 blankets each saved over $17,000 after paying for a 4-rail Centaur dryer unit.